


Quite the eventful meal

by Coldwintersnight



Category: Angel Beats!
Genre: ....kinda, Coming Out, Crack, Gay Jokes, Love Confession, M/M, and honestly who can blame him, bi Hinata, bi Otonashi rights, half of this is just squabbling, he likes them both, hinata and naoi's wonderful rivalry, naoi is soft af and only a tiny bit evil, other half is simping, they're both crushing on Otonashi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:27:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29450778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coldwintersnight/pseuds/Coldwintersnight
Summary: After Hinata and Naoi join Otonashi in his efforts to help people move on, there is no shadow attack, and they proceed to the dining room to talk strategy and eat tofu.Though, knowing them, they can never stay on topic for long.
Relationships: Hinata Hideki/Otonashi Yuzuru, Naoi Ayato/Otonashi Yuzuru
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Quite the eventful meal

**Author's Note:**

> So I watched this for the first time and, while the canon ships had some really lovely moments, the banter between these three was simply unparalleled and I desperately wanted more so this is me being the change I want to see in the world.
> 
> I was just planning to write crack but somehow it got all romantic?? No idea how that happened, don't look at me. Though I couldn't choose between Otonashi/Hinata and Otonashi/Naoi so this is a weird, stupidly self indulgent mix of both.

Otonashi would need all his strength for this. He would have to delve deep into- possibly completely _expend_ \- all the determination he'd found within himself since regaining his memories. There were no two ways about it: this was a challenge which would test him brutally. He took a resolute breath, screwed his eyes tight shut, and put the spoonful of mapo tofu in his mouth. 

"Well? How is it?" Hinata raised his eyebrows, that daft grin spreading across his face as he leant across the table to appreciate his reaction in all its desperate, red-faced entirety.

He earned himself a comical grimace and a vague _hasfahshhsaha!!!_ in response. Otonashi shook his head as if he could physically dislodge the spice from his tongue; then he sat back and grinned. A picture of composure: so relaxed and collected you would never realise that just seconds ago he looked like a man preparing to recreate Hinata's launch-off from scratch.

"Delicious, as always." He waved the spoon beneath his friend's face, tempting him with the last thing in the world he was likely to be tempted by. "You're welcome to try some again, Hinata."

"No way! Even the best tofu isn't worth _that_."

"I'll try some, Otonashi," Naoi interjected, voice slick with his usual pretension. 

"Thank you!" he beamed down at his friend. Naoi glanced hurriedly away, tugging his hat further down his forehead to distract from the blush that was _most certainly not_ spreading across his cheeks.

"Awh, don't encourage him!" Hinata slumped back into his chair, eyes rolling upwards in sardonic despair. Hm. He'd never realised how fascinating the ceiling was until today. Very, uh… ceilingy.

Beside him, Naoi placed the food delicately into his mouth. The muscles in his face tensed, and his skin took on a distinctly pinkish hue- or _more_ pinkish, depending on whether or not you believed him about keeping his composure beneath Otonashi's grin earlier- but that was the extent of his suffering. Hinata frowned. Really, if he had to go through this at all, Naoi could have the decency to entertain him a little more. 

"Not bad..." Otonashi seemed genuinely _impressed_ by the terribly lacking performance, a fact which was in no way lost on Naoi.

He leaned back, crossing his arms against his chest, looking remarkably pleased with himself. "God prevails."

"He sure does..."

"Alright! That's enough of that. No saying the word god for the rest of this conversation. Even better, don't say anything." He pushed on before Naoi had time to object, or assert his divine will, or anything like that. "So, what are we thinking, Otonashi? Who are we going to help next?"

"What about you, Hinata?" Naoi's lips curled into a devious smile. "Wouldn't you like to be obliterated?"

"I didn't think…" Otonashi shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to smooth over his frown. His frantic, ultimately failed intervention on the baseball field had been more than enough manipulation of Hinata's fate. Of course he wanted his friend to feel calm and fulfilled; he'd just rather he felt calm and fulfilled with _him_ , is all. "Well, it's your choice, I suppose. What is your wish?"

" _Seriously?_ " He hadn't thought he would be first. He had not even recognised himself as an option at all, actually. He was in Otonashi's team, wasn't he? And that meant being in it till the very end, which was very noble of him, he thought. It meant exemption- a free pass to stay by Otonashi's side, and that may have had more selfish undertones, but who was keeping score? He doubted Naoi's motivations were overwhelmingly righteous either. " _Me_? Oh, all I need to do is catch some dumb ball. I can do that whenever I feel like. Save the easiest till last, y'know?" He turned his bright eyes on the boy beside him, nudging his stoic figure. "Maybe Naoi wants something, hm?"

"I don't want anything." He met Hinata's gaze with an infuriating grin. "I already have all I need."

"Then _why_ are you still here?"

"Because god doesn't-"

"Hey!" 

"Fine. Because _I_ don't want to go." That smug smile was back. Discarding the whole god thing hardly helped when he could read it all on his face. "I can still help Otonashi."

"Yeah, well… I can help Otonashi just as much as you!"

"Guys, you can both help." Otonashi interrupted before their Serious and Extremely Important Conversation could devolve further into squabbling. "I mean it- I need you both. We have to work together on this, or none of us will be any help at all." He glanced over to check if his rousing words had had the desired effect. To the surprise of no one- and certainly not him- they had not. That cruel glint continued to decorate Naoi's eye.

"Last time I checked, only one of us had hypnotic powers-"

"Naoi, please."

"I'd be glad to give a demonstration, if you like. I think I even have a volunteer…"

"You don't! I don't want to think about clothespins ever again!" Hinata exclaimed, while Otonashi's head returned to what was now practically its default position: buried in his hands.

"Don't worry." Naoi was undeterred by the protest. Probably spurred on by it, to be honest. "I've got plenty of other ideas. I could hypnotise anyone here… Except you, of course, Otonashi! I'd never do that to you."

"You're not doing it to anyone," he sighed. "I don't like you for your powers, you know?"

The eye not obscured by his hat widened, and if you were a romantic you'd see entire constellations in it. Probably if you weren't a romantic too, because he wasn't exactly subtle. Otonashi was a bit of a romantic. And Otonashi noticed.

Hinata drew attention back to him with a theatrical cough. "Uh, you all hear about that shadow Noda fought?" 

"Yeah," Otonashi grimaced; successfully distracted, thank god. Or, thank someone. God left a bad taste in Hinata's mouth these days. "I thought we were done with all the spooky stuff. It's quite worrying."

"Don't worry, Otonashi. I'll protect you."

"I'll protect him first!" This was simply too much. Hinata leapt up from his chair with enough energy to rival his leaps in the exam room. 

"Find someone else." Naoi stood too, glaring up at Hinata; then jumping up onto his chair to glare down at him instead. That was more like it. "I'd protect him better."

"In your dreams!" Hinata wobbled on his own chair. 

"I would die for Otonashi."

"Yeah, big deal! I already have. And I'd do it again. Hundreds of times, no problem."

"I'd die for him permanently."

"Naoi-" Otonashi made another attempt at peace-making. 

"Hey!" Hinata pointed an accusatory finger in his general direction, his eyes not leaving Naoi's. "You stay out of this, Otonashi!" 

"You're fighting over _me_ ," he exclaimed. If he hadn't just been granted such a surplus of hope, he'd have lost his entire supply by now. "And I'd rather you didn't. Fight, that is. Or die. Just get down from the chair."

"You heard him. Get down," Naoi smirked. "Unless you need a little help." His iris began to glow red.

"Right, that's it!" Otonashi strode to the other side of the table, wrapped his arms around his troublesome- though admittedly remarkably loyal- friend, and pulled him back to Earth. Or heaven. Purgatory? The dining room floor, in any case. "No hypnosis, alright?" 

"If that's what you want." He inclined his head with sullen grace. "I'm going to get seconds. Would you like any?"

"No, thank you."

Hinata sighed loudly as they watched him retreat. "Man, what is his _problem_? He got a crush on you or something?"

"Nah, I'm sure-" Otonashi bit his lip, his mouth curling so subtly it was impossible to tell if it was a frown or a smile. "Do you think so?"

"Probably. Why else would he fight for you like that?"

"Oh come on Hinata, you were fighting for me too."

"Oh, uhhh," he swallowed. "This isn't about me-"

"Wow…" Otonashi was shaking his head, gazing across the melee of students to where Naoi's slim figure was still visible. "Maybe he _does_ have a crush on me. Huh." A slight grin- and it really was this time, unmistakably so- spread across his face. "You think he'd ever, y'know, act on it?"

"Dunno…" Little wrinkles appeared in his nose as he screwed his face up. "Well, I don't wanna be there when he does."

Otonashi's laugh was a little nervous. A little exhilarated, perhaps. Hinata squinted at him.

"Hang on… Why do you sound like you're actually considering it?"

"I don't know," he shrugged, eyes fixed obstinately on a spot on the table. "He is kind of sweet." 

"But that's…" Hinata spluttered. "That would make you gay." There was an edge of teasing to his voice, though he didn't sound judgemental. It was almost too lighthearted; his emotions too guarded to really be believable, as if he took this a lot more seriously than he wanted anyone to know.

"I'm… you know, I'm already gay, Hinata." His eyes flickered up to his best friend's face, registering the raise of his eyebrows, and the confused twist of his mouth. "Well, I'm bisexual. Honestly, I kinda thought you'd figured it out."

"What? But- _me too_. Aw, hell, Otonashi, why didn't we talk about this sooner?"

"Hey, I asked the first day we met. You said you weren't." 

"I panicked! I didn't know that you were, too…"

Hinata didn't look entirely composed now either: his fingers tapped anxiously against the table, and it was his turn to keep his eyes averted. He caught his friend's concern, and smiled awkwardly. Otonashi didn't buy it; he slipped into the seat Naoi had vacated so he could gently place his hand on Hinata's. "Why did you think I asked?"

"I don't know… To make fun of me?"

"God, no. I'd never do that. Not about something so important."

"So why did you ask?"

"I, ah, sort of just wanted to know if I had a chance." 

"Seriously? You had a crush on me?" Hinata shook his head in amusement. "Uh dude, that's kinda gay."

"Oh, shut up…" Otonashi blushed furiously.

"And, what, you have a crush on Naoi now?"

"I guess?" He frowned, unsure of where Hinata was going with this. Was this his way of letting him down kindly? Or some sort of test? Regardless, all he could do that wouldn't feel dishonest was, well, be honest. "I don't know him that well. But I wouldn't say no, you know?"

"I suppose he can be sort of… bearable," Hinata grimaced, hardly believing he was sinking to the level of complimenting _Naoi_. "If you ignore how infuriating he is. And the weird god complex he's got going on. And how he used to be evil. Oh, and how he still is pretty damn evil. Yeah, apart from all that, he's not too bad."

"Hinata…" He couldn't help but grin, in a bemused this-is-so-absurd sort of way. "Are you _jealous_?"

"Of _Naoi?_ Hell no. Though… I may be a little jealous of how much you like him."

"Oh come on, I haven't proposed yet. I just said I'd say yes if he asked me out." He gave his hand another reassuring squeeze, though really it was him that needed the encouragement. "I'd say yes if you asked me out too."

"Now, that really is gay," he mumbled.

"Hey, I'm trying to be all vulnerable here."

"I know. I'm sorry. I get nervous." He paused, eyebrows furrowed. His teeth worried at the inside of his cheek. "You know, I just got married a few days ago. Didn't exactly intend to make a habit of it."

"Is that another joke?"

"No. Well, yes, but no. I loved Yui a lot. Seriously man. A _lot_. That's not to say I don't like you too, because I do. I really do. I always did. But I'm just... not ready yet. I'm sorry."

"I understand. There's nothing to apologise for." He reached out tentatively, unsure how receptive Hinata would be to a hug right now. His friend shifted slightly towards him, allowing him to slip a grateful arm around his shoulders, and Otonashi felt very lucky to have him- if only as a friend. "I'm glad we could talk about it."

"Yeah, me too." On a whim, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Otonashi's cheek, because he felt very lucky to have him, too.

He pulled back to see Otonashi's smile and, just behind that, Naoi looking absolutely mortified.

"Really? I leave for five minutes-" He shook his head dismissively, trying to clear the shock from his expression and return to one of bored contempt. Those who knew him could still see the betrayal in his eyes though, and Otonashi did know him. "I'll just leave you to it." With an annoyed flick of his head, he swept back into the crowd. 

"Sorry about that," Hinata sighed. "Wasn't trying to create trouble in paradise, you know."

"It's not your fault." Otonashi ran agitated fingers through his hair. It was turning out to be quite the eventful meal. "Should I go after him, do you think?"

"Course you should!"

"You don't mind?" There was more depth to the question than just abandoning him in that moment, and Hinata recognised all the connotations.

" _No_. I mean it. You have my blessing, or whatever. I want you to be happy. But, dude- _seriously_ \- tell your boyfriend to stop messing with my head!"

"You got it," Otonashi grinned, standing up. "Oh, and you can finish my tofu too."

"Yeah," Hinata rolled his eyes. "Thanks."

-

He found Naoi sitting on a step outside, lazily prodding the ground with a twig. His hat seemed further slumped over his face than usual.

"Hey," he spoke softly, slipping into the space next to him.

"Otonashi!" Naoi tensed. "I... shouldn't have overreacted just now. I apologise."

"That's alright," He lifted Naoi's hat to get a better look at his face, and saw his worried eyes soften beneath his gaze. "It wasn't what it looked like, you know. Hinata and I are just friends."

"You are?" 

"Yeah," he chuckled softly. "It's kind of silly, really. We started off talking about you-"

"Me? So that was another part of that stupid rivalry?"

" _No_! It's not that either. Hinata doesn't want to fight you, you know. Not really. He actually told me to go after you."

"Hinata said that?"

"Yeah."

Naoi considered that revelation. "Hm. Maybe he isn't as useless as I thought…"

"He isn't useless at all-" Otonashi couldn't help jumping to his friend's defence. "But hey, this isn't about him. It's you I wanted to talk to."

"And what did you want to say?"

"Just that…" He swallowed. It felt a little insincere to tell Naoi he liked him right after telling Hinata the same thing- though his feelings were nothing but sincere. Well, they were confusing too. He needed to disentangle them before dragging anyone else into this mess. "I care about you. A lot."

"Really?" His eyes shone. "That's not something I often hear."

"Well, I'll tell you as many times as you want."

"Thank you." He wrapped his arms around his neck, burying his head in his shoulder. He hoped Otonashi could not feel him shaking, or hear the quiet _I love you_ he murmured into the folds of his uniform. Otonashi did not. He just held his friend to his chest, and smiled. 

"Hey…" He muttered after a few seconds of comfortable silence. "You ready to head back inside?"

Naoi nodded against his skin. "Yeah. I'd go anywhere with you, Otonashi."

**Author's Note:**

> Uhhh I don't know if I'll ever write for this fandom again. I want to, because I love these guys so much but I don't know how many ideas I have left in me. Idk let me know if there's anything you'd like to see.


End file.
